Is it too early to start making plans for the 2015 Hangout Music Fest? Not with early-bird tickets going on sale Wednesday, it isn't.

A limited supply of tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Central time on Aug. 6 via www.hangoutmusicfest.com, with prices set at $189 for regular three-day passes and $799 for VIP. That's the same general-admission price as last year's early-bird sale. Last year's full price was $229, this year's has not yet been announced. The 2015 festival takes place May 15-17 in Gulf Shores.

"There will be thousands of tickets available at this price," said Sean O'Connell, the festival's executive director. "With that said, I don't expect them to last long."

If the sale seems earlier than in the past, it is. Last year, organizers offered an early-bird sale on Oct. 11. O'Connell said the shift to an earlier date is motivated by feedback from patrons, who'd like as much lead time as possible to coordinate travel and lodging plans with friends. O'Connell said updated information on condo deals and other lodging packages will be available at the festival website on Wednesday.

"We're well under way for planning," said O'Connell of 2015 arrangements. He said improvements will include better crowd flow, additional audio equipment at the Chevrolet Stage that will improve the listening experience for fans far back from the stage, and eye-catching, large-scale works from coastal Alabama artist Bruce Larsen.

In another move designed to build anticipation of the 2015 event, organizers planned to re-launch their popular "Shaka Selfie" competition on Monday, Aug. 4. The contest invites fans to post Instagram photos of themselves flashing the festival's shaka hand sign. The most creative entries could win 2015 passes. Contest details were to be announced Monday via Twitter and Facebook.